Environment

Archive for the ‘Local Issues’ Category

* MINISTER RABBITTE REFUSES TO RESPOND TO DAMNING NEW HEALTH EVIDENCE IN RELATION TO EAST WEST INTERCONNECTOR

* DALY CALLS ON MINISTER TO ACT

Socialist Party TD Clare Daly had an angry exchange in the Dail today (07/03/2012) with Labour’s Minister Pat Rabbitte over the Minister’s refusal to intervene in relation to the fact that it has emerged that Eirgrid submitted seriously inaccurate information during the oral hearing into the East West Interconnector and the very serious potential health effects for residents, especially children.

Deputy Daly was questioning the Minister in relation to whether he was satisfied with the electro magnetic field information submitted by Eirgrid to An Bord Pleanala. She slammed his assertion that he had “no reason to believe that any relevant information in relation to EMF had been withheld or misrepresented”.

She said, “The Minister has every reason to believe that this happened. This information was brought to his attention, where Rush Community Council explained how Eirgrid had incorrectly stated during the planning process that the magnetic field would be static only. They now admit that the actual magnetic filed will have a time varying component, and that this knew this all along, but try to say that this information is insignificant.”

“This is absolutely not the case. The fact that one of the government’s own former advisor’s Professor Anthony Staines said, “It now appears that the evidence as to the induced magnetic field presented at the oral hearing was SERIOUSLY INACCURATE….. the potential adverse health effects of the cable system’s magnetic field have not been assessed..low frequency magnetic fields increase the risk of childhood acute lymphoblastic leukaemia, “should be the decider in the government demanding an immediate inquiry and full re-examination of the planning process.”

“That minister Rabbitte dismisses these concerns is an affront to the community of Rush. It is now up to the Minister for Health, Dublin north’s Dr. Reilly to immediately take action,” Deputy Daly said. “Failure to act is akin to criminal neglect of residents in the area and particularly children. I really hope that residents get active again and demand that Eirgrid are called to account”

Socialist Party TD Clare Daly has stated that the government is costing the taxpayer millions by its failure to address serious questions around the planned move of Teagasc from Kinsealy to Ashtown. She was responding to a debate she had with the Minister for Agriculture in the Dail last Thursday.

Deputy Daly said, “The Minister totally dodged the issues posed. On the one hand he said that these matters were for Teagasc to deal with and it would be inappropriate for him to interfere. On the other, when pressed he admitted that he had a role. This is just not good enough. Of course the Minister has a role. This organisation is funded from the public purse and operates under his Department. Re-iterating statements made previously by Teagasc management is not good enough. Particularly when it has been alleged that this move will cost the state millions in unnecessary expenditure for facilities that already exist in Kinsealy.

In fact contrary to what the Minister said, that combining operations will involve cost savings, everything needed exists in Kinsealy. The Minister failed to answer why €2.5 million is being spent to upgrade classrooms in the Botanic Gardens, when these classrooms already exist in Kinsealy. The practical work will have to continue in Kinsealy because the Ashtown site is too small and more land will have to be acquired. In these austere times, when budgets are being cut and ordinary people faced with vicious cuts, this is even doubly disgraceful. These matters are already before the Dail Public Accounts Committee. All further works should stop until it is fully investigated.”

She concluded, “Fine Gael & Labour promised reform. Before the election, Minister Reilly said if elected he would ensure that this move would be halted. A year on, and the sound of silence is deafening. Enough is enough. Kinsealy is the prime site for horticultural research and should be developed, rather than ridiculous waste of public money in the planned move.”

Socialist Party TD Clare Daly has rejected the explanation of the Minister for Justice and Equality to a Dail question last week in relation to the rationale behind the cutting of the opening hours of Malahide Garda station, and other cuts in Garda services in the area.

She said, ” The Minister is claiming that the decision to cut the opening hours in the stations is not about cost savings but rather about improving the deployment of garda resources and getting better use of Gardai on the frontline. This is nonsense. Everyone knows that there are less Gardai on the streets than ever before. They are trying to cover up for the cuts that have already taken place. Dressing this up as an efficiency measure is an insult which residents will not be fooled by.”

“This is another consequence of the attack on public services. Citizens have, and continue to pay substantial taxation in return forever reducing public services as the government continues its austerity agenda. Improving services means investing in them. This government has reneged on every pre-election promise they made. This is simply not good enough,” she said.

“The Minister has declared that he has ‘no plans to review this decision’, ” Deputy Daly said. “Therefore the three government TDs, particularly Minister Reilly must intervene and force a review.”